Accessibility at Dogwood Canyon

Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center welcomes guests of all abilities. We continue to make progress towards better accessibility as funding allows. An electric door was added in 2023 and concrete pathways were added in 2025. Outlined below are details of accessibility at our center. 

Parking

Most parking at Dogwood Canyon is a permeable gravel surface in both the main lot outside the gate and the circular parking lot inside the gate. There are two concrete van accessible parking spots reserved for those with a handicap placard or license plate. The gate is open during our open hours. 

Pathways

There are two types of concrete pathways within the circular parking lot which were added in 2025 to replace the eroding gravel paths. 

• The 3-foot wide concrete path located in the center of the parking area offers an opportunity to view the wildscape, both natural and planted, to provide a diversity of plants that can be used both in prairie habitats and home landscaping.  
• The 4-foot wide concrete path leads the visitor to three options: entry to the children's Nature Play area, access to the bottom of the basin, and the path leading to the C.E. Doolin Visitor Center building.
  • Nature Play: the concrete path ends just past the archway entrance. From there, the ground is either gravel or mulch. There is a small deck with one inch or less rise to access and views the ephemeral creek below. There are picnic tables with an overhang at the end for wheelchair access.
  • The Basin: the long concrete pathway does not have a landing halfway down. This path will require a bit of strength to conrol to descend and ascend the path or have use of an electric scooter. At the bottom is a wood-like deck for observing, relaxing or having a snack while noting the historic use of the space.
  • Visitor Center: upon passing through the pedestrian gate, this concrete pathway does have a landing halfway up and has hand rails. Once at the top, the balcony is all concrete. 

Building

There is an electric door opener to enter the main visitor center and enter through the gift shop. Once inside, there is space to move around the gift shop and Nature Nook with a wheelchair or power chair. To access the upstairs Canyon View area where the birdfeeder viewing windows are located, ask for assistance to operate the electric lift. All other doors are manual operation. Bathrooms are accessed from the balcony and both men's and women's have a handicap stall and space to roll under the sinks. 

Trails

All trails begin at the building. They are accessed through a pedestrian gate and a short concrete ramp that meets a gravel path that curves around the garden and past the bird mews. When birds are living in the mews, they are viewable from the gravel pathway. 

• Outdoor Bird Blind: access to this feature contains a mulch pathway that leads over a small curved/domed bridge and continues along a gravel path before finding the metal ramp with handrails. Assistance may be required along this path depending on abilities. Once inside the bird blind, there are flat benches that are moveable and openings of various heights in the walls to view the birdfeeders.  
• Hiking trails: there are three trails in this canyon, however, only one trail is moderately accessible.
  • Canyon Floor Trail: this short 1/4 mile trail is an out-and-back gravel trail. There is a gentle incline to this trail with a few benches along the way. Because of erosion and repairs that have occured over the years, this path is no longer deemed truly accessible. Manual wheelchairs can navigate the path with assistance or can be better accessed with scooters or power chairs. There are some dips and bumps along the path that users should exercise caution. We are hopefull for funding that will turn this trail into a fully accessible boardwalk.
  • West Loop/Dogwood Trails: once past the trailhead sign, these natural surface trails follow the undulation of the canyon slopes and can be quite steep with exposed roots and rocks.